Sacramento, Calif., Feb 26, 2009 / 06:05 am (CNA).- The owner of a family-owned ice cream shop and restaurant in Sacramento who has been targeted by angry phone calls and e-mails and obscene Valentine’s Day cards because of his support for the Proposition 8 campaign says Catholics should “stand up” for marriage despite the consequences and the “lies” of extremist activists.

The passage of Proposition 8, which overturned a California Supreme Court decision instating same-sex “marriage,” prompted major protests from homosexual activists and their allies.

Allan Leatherby, 46, told CNA that he and other family members decided to contribute to the Yes on 8 campaign after Bishop of Sacramento Jaime Soto personally called him to ask for his support.

Members of the Leatherby family, which owns Leatherby’s Family Creamery, gave $20,000 to the campaign. “It was a response to his personal request. Otherwise we might not have supported it in that amount,” he explained to CNA.

“Obviously as Catholics we value marriage,” he said, saying they saw some “huge red flags” about the effects of same-sex marriage.

When the family’s support for Proposition 8 became public, protesters targeted their business. The ice cream shop was picketed, employees in company sweat shirts were harassed and angry callers phoned the business. The business reportedly received hundreds of angry e-mails and was targeted by bloggers.

Leatherby also received obscene Valentine’s Day cards in the mail.

“There is no way we could have prepared for the kind of reaction we got,” he said. “Business is actually down and that worries me. Can a business sustain that kind of negativity in the long-term? God only knows.”

After the election, business increased because Proposition 8 supporters deliberately frequented the business, but their numbers have decreased.

Leatherby’s Family Creamery and its owners enjoy a good reputation in the Sacramento area because of the business’ donations of ice cream to area charities. Leatherby himself is an active volunteer and built stairs and helped renovations at Hope House, a former AIDS hospice.

Speaking with CNA on Wednesday, Leatherby explained his support for Proposition 8, saying he disagreed with characterizations of same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue.

“I have men’s and women’s restrooms in my establishment. Is that discrimination? No. Why? Because men and women are different!

“They’re equal in dignity but they’re different. A relationship between a man and a woman is different than a man and a man or a woman and a woman, hands down,” especially when children are considered.

Leatherby explained how Leatherby’s Family Creamery didn’t know what would transpire on the day after the election as angered opponents began to organize protests.

He said a friend overheard a protest group say they were going to start picketing and contacted him. Some opponents of Proposition 8 and some members of the gay and lesbian community also called to warn they would be boycotting.

There were rumors of a “sitdown” where protesters would not allow customers to enter the ice cream shop.

“We got a call from police department and the sherrif’s department saying ‘we are concerned for your safety’.”

Angry and violent e-mails and blogs increased concern about the protests, leading law enforcement to ask if they could position a patrol car at each location.

Leatherby then contacted members of his and his wife’s large families, asking for their support.

Others heard about the protests against the Leatherbys, resulting in an “outpouring of support” from those who wanted to make sure they didn’t go out of business.

When the shop opened, picketers were stationed out front carrying “vulgar, crazy signs.”

However, there was also a long line of people waiting to go into the store to show their support.

“That was just tremendous, to have that support,” Leatherby told CNA.

“Now I know how George Bailey felt at the ends of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’,” he added. “It’s nice to have friends.”

Asked to describe the kind of critical comments he had received, Leatherby said Proposition 8 opponents have been “all over the board.”

“Most of them associate me and my family with hateful, spiteful people that would drag homosexuals out into the street and beat them up.

“It’s amazing. Because of the lies that are told about this, about how supporters are hateful, so many people have bought into that!”

“A majority of Californians are not hateful people. It’s a lie to say that.